--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Machiavelli says that if as a ruler you…" description: "\"Machiavelli says that if as a ruler you accept that your every action must pass moral scrutiny, you will without fail be defeated by an opponent who su..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_accepting_machiavelli-says-that-if-as-a-ruler-you_869382.jpg" --- # Machiavelli says that if as a ruler you accept that your… ![“Machiavelli says that if as a ruler you accept that your every action must pass moral scrutiny, you will without fail be defeated by an opponent who submits to no such moral test. To hold on to power, you have not only to master the crafts of deception and treachery but to be prepared to use them…” quote by J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_accepting_machiavelli-says-that-if-as-a-ruler-you_869382.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_accepting_machiavelli-says-that-if-as-a-ruler-you_869382.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_accepting_machiavelli-says-that-if-as-a-ruler-you_869382.jpg) > “Machiavelli says that if as a ruler you accept that your every action must pass moral scrutiny, you will without fail be defeated by an opponent who submits to no such moral test. To hold on to power, you have not only to master the crafts of deception and treachery but to be prepared to use them where necessary.” [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rulers who cling to moral purity become vulnerable; deception is a necessary tool for maintaining power. **In simple terms:** Moral rigidity invites defeat. Key Takeaway Balance ethics with pragmatic strategy. Themes power ethics politics Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - political campaign - corporate governance - diplomacy - conflict resolution Key Concepts realism strategic deception leadership Questions to Reflect On - When is deception justified? - How to maintain integrity while being effective? A Different Perspective Overreliance on deception can erode trust and legitimacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Deception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deception/) [King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king/) [Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machiavelli/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Rulers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rulers/) [Scrutiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrutiny/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Treachery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treachery/) ## Related quotes > [One handles truths like dynamite. Literature is one vast hypocrisy, a giant deception, treachery. All writers have concealed more than they revealed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/one-handles-truths-like-dynamite-literature-is-one-vast-hypocrisy-a/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [If you want to compete in Italy, the only accepted ways are brute force, or cunning. Like Machiavelli says, "Fronte otra forze." And neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-clemente/if-you-want-to-compete-in-italy-the-only-accepted-ways-are-brute/) [Francesco Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-clemente/) > [“All men have eyes, Machiavelli says, but few have the gift of penetration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bonanno/all-men-have-eyes-machiavelli-says-but-few-have-the-gift-of/) [Joseph Bonanno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bonanno/) > [The political tradition of ancient thought, filtered in Italy by Machiavelli, says one thing clearly: every prince needs allies, and the bigger the responsibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvio-berlusconi/the-political-tradition-of-ancient-thought-filtered-in-italy-by-2/) [Silvio Berlusconi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvio-berlusconi/) > [The political tradition of ancient thought, filtered in Italy by Machiavelli, says one thing clearly: every prince needs allies, and the bigger the responsibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvio-berlusconi/the-political-tradition-of-ancient-thought-filtered-in-italy-by/) [Silvio Berlusconi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvio-berlusconi/) > [“So long as human beings can gain sufficient co-operation from some to enable them to dominate others, they will use the forms of law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-long-as-human-beings-can-gain-sufficient-co-operation-from-some-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Make them fear you. 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I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-king/machiavelli-taught-me-it-was-better-to-be-feared-than-loved-because/) [Don King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-king/) > [“systematic tools for getting results, whether in business or international diplomacy, summed up in Beyond Machiavelli and Getting It DONE;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-fisher/systematic-tools-for-getting-results-whether-in-business-or/) [Roger Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-fisher/) > [“the wily Machiavelli had always believed that any clod could have the facts—having an opinion was an art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/the-wily-machiavelli-had-always-believed-that-any-clod-could-have-the/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [“Wasn’t it Machiavelli who said ‘Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-brasher/wasn-t-it-machiavelli-who-said-any-man-who-tries-to-be-good-all-the/) Darius Brasher ## More by J. M. Coetzee > [“For I am no orator. What would I have said if they had let me go on? That it is worse to beat a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/for-i-am-no-orator-what-would-i-have-said-if-they-had-let-me-go-on/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [To me, a philosopher who says that the distinction between human and nonhuman depends on whether you have a white or a black skin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/to-me-a-philosopher-who-says-that-the-distinction-between-human-and/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [The spark of true poetry flashes when ideas are juxtaposed that no one has yet thought of bringing together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/the-spark-of-true-poetry-flashes-when-ideas-are-juxtaposed-that-no/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [“But with this woman it is as if there is no interior, only a surface across which I hunt back and forth seeking entry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/but-with-this-woman-it-is-as-if-there-is-no-interior-only-a-surface/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [You think you know what is just and what is not. I understand. We all think we know." I had no doubt, myself, then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/you-think-you-know-what-is-just-and-what-is-not-i-understand-we-all/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [The highest type of intelligence, says Aristotle, manifests itself in an ability to see connections where no one has seen them before, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/the-highest-type-of-intelligence-says-aristotle-manifests-itself-in/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [I am corrupted to the bone with the beauty of this forsaken world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/i-am-corrupted-to-the-bone-with-the-beauty-of-this-forsaken-world/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [Elizabeth, Lady C, claims to be writing at the limits of language. Would it not be insulting to her if I were diligently to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/elizabeth-lady-c-claims-to-be-writing-at-the-limits-of-language-would/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [Denunciations of the manipulativeness of advertisers can unfortunately all too easily be turned on their heads into denunciations of the gullibility of consumers. Both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/denunciations-of-the-manipulativeness-of-advertisers-can/) [J. M. 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Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [The most important of all rights is the right to life, and I cannot foresee a day when domesticated animals will be granted that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/the-most-important-of-all-rights-is-the-right-to-life-and-i-cannot/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) [Explore all 96 J. M. Coetzee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! 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Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. 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